Research: Motivations and Impression Management: Predictors of Social Networking Site Use and User Behavior
Abstract:
This paper applied the uses and gratifications theory to the social networking site, Facebook, in an effort to examine the predictive power of consumers’ motivations with regards to site use and behaviors towards advertisements on the site. Consumers’ online impression management behaviors are discussed in detail, and are considered a possible motivation for site use. An online survey measured study participants’ (N=288) intensity of Facebook use, their motivations for using the site, and their behavioral intentions toward approaching and avoiding advertisements on the site.
A total of nine consumer motivations for using Facebook were extracted from a principal components factor analysis and were labeled information, entertainment, discussion, connect, shop, game, update, product inquiry, and impression management. The Facebook use variable was regressed on the nine motivation variables in a multiple regression analysis, which revealed that the motivations labeled connect and entertainment were predictors of Facebook use. Both the approach and avoidance behavioral intention variables were also regressed on the nine motivation variables. The motivations labeled shop and product inquiry were both positive predictors of approach behavior, and both negative predictors of avoidance behaviors towards advertisements on Facebook. The motivation labeled impression management was not a significant predictor of Facebook use or behavior intentions towards advertisements on the site as literature suggested. Additional research on consumer impression management behavior on social networking sites is suggested. Implications of study findings for online advertisers and Web site managers are discussed.
Here are some key take-aways:
- The Uses and Gratifications theory (people use media to gratify some need) was applied to Facebook, a new non-traditional media, for one of the first times in academic research.
- Of the nine motivation factors extracted (which were used to determine what motivates people to use facebook) the motivations connect and entertainment significantly predicted Facebook use.
- Although the motivations shop and product inquiry did not predict Facebook use, they did positively predicted approach behavior towards advertisements on Facebook.
- Although the motivation labeled impression management was included in this study, it was not part of the original motivation scale used in other studies to predict media use.
- Impression Management was included as a possible motivator for Facebook use due to the attractiveness of the ability to manage ones impression online in comparison to face-to-face communication.
- Impression Management was not found to be a significant predictor of Facebook, nor was it significant predictor of approach or avoidance behavior towards advertisements on Facebook.
- Impression Management was however, shown to have a significant positive relationship with the Facebook Use variable, meaning some relationship exists and should be further studied.
I strongly believe that the suspected motivation for using Facebook in my study, impression management, should be further explored in relation to both Facebook use and audience behaviors towards Facebook advertisements, as both previous research and my study show that impression management is related to Facebook use.
Impression management has been defined as the goal-directed conscious or unconscious attempt to influence other’s perceptions about a person, object or event by controlling or managing the exchange of information in social interaction. My study focused on the impression management behaviors performed by the users of social networking sites. Impression management behaviors are practiced on social networking sites when users fill out their online profiles. Users have total control over what information about themselves they wish to include or censor when filling out their profiles. It can be argued that users of social networking sites even have the ability to fabricate or exaggerate certain claims they make about themselves on their profiles, more so when compared to face-to-face communication. It is useful to examine such behaviors because some users may find the ability to manage such online impressions very appealing. So appealing in fact, it could motivate their very use of the sites. For that reasoning, impression management was included as a possible motivators for Facebook use. Although it was not found a significant predictor of Facebook use, there may be some reasons why. Here are my thoughts:
- Admitting to practicing impression management, either on a survey used in a study or in any manner, could be considered embarrassing to the person being asked.
- People may be practicing impression management and not even realize they are doing it.
- The survey tools and questions used in the study may need further refining before appropriately being applied to Facebook.
No matter the reasoning, impression management should be a focus of further study by academics interested in social media and user behaviors. Impression management behaviors could be extremely significant with the development and acceptance of Facebook's Open Graph. For example, what if a user "likes" an article, app or site content, however is reluctant to click the "like" button provided by the open graph in fear of online judgement by peers who will ultimately see such information on their Facbeook. Sure, there are privacy controls that allow users to block publications of open graph third-party "like" activity on their Facebook profiles, but then marketers are missing out on a huge part of the open graph's appeal which is online word-of-mouth promotions by users and seen by their trustworthy peers. Brands will lose out on the instant credibility offered by a "like" of their material if a user is consciously or sub-consciously practicing impression management by avoiding clicking the "like" for fear of that information affecting the way others view them online. I will look forward to hearing your thoughts on what direction this research should take, how it should be measured and general thoughts on impression management and whether YOU practice it when on Facebook or other social sites.
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